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‘Freedom of expression applies to all’: President responds to magistrates’ statement

May 28, 2026

By Djinodji SOLMENGAR Rodrigue

President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has responded to the statement issued by the magistrates’ unions SMT and SYAMAT after comments reportedly made by the Minister of Public Security and Immigration, Ali Ahmat Aghabach.

According to the magistrates’ unions, the minister said: ‘If you identify fake warrants, tear them up and throw them back at their authors. And if you cannot do it, bring them to me, I will take care of it.‘ The exact context and circumstances in which the remarks were made remain unclear.

In a Facebook post published Thursday, the president said freedom of expression applies to both citizens and public officials, provided they respect the law.

He added that rejecting criticism could weaken democratic principles and the social contract.

The Head of State also recalled reforms he introduced to strengthen the separation of powers. He noted that the president no longer chairs the Superior Council of the Judiciary.

Mahamat Deby further stated that the security minister ‘did not criticize the justice system or all magistrates.’

The reaction follows a communiqué in which magistrates condemned the minister’s remarks and announced legal action against him.

Djinodji Solmengar

Djinodji Solmengar

Djinodji Solmengar Rodrigue is a journalist with MRTV English, Chad’s first English-language media outlet, where he led English-language news coverage at its launch. Based in N’Djamena, his reporting explores political, economic, and social developments, with particular attention to everyday realities, informal sectors, and cultural life. His work also extends to football and broader societal issues, approached through field reporting and in-depth storytelling. Beyond reporting, Djinodji regularly conducts interviews focused on education, including the teaching of English in Chad, as well as conversations (with AFROTRONIX, to name a few) on culture and music. He is also active as an English–French interpreter, working alongside international media professionals. In this capacity, he recently supported and interpreted for a delegation of foreign journalists, including BBC representatives, during the PND Chad Connexion 2030 mission. Alongside his professional practice, Djinodji is pursuing a PhD, with research centered on the presence of China and Russia in Africa as portrayed in selected Commonwealth online media. His academic interests lie at the intersection of media, geopolitics, and discourse analysis. Earlier in his career, he taught English and authored a Master’s thesis examining the contextualization of English language teaching in Chad, reflecting a sustained engagement with educational challenges and policy.

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